J.A. Happ is available out of the bullpen Tuesday, and Yankees are leaning toward Masahiro Tanaka in a Game 5…if it gets there

October 9, 2018

J.A. Happ may be skipped if the Yankees are able to force a Game 5 of the American League Division Series. Aaron Boone would not commit to starting the left hander, who couldn’t get out of the third inning in Game 1, if the Yankees won on Tuesday night and took the series to the final game.

Happ was available out of the bullpen on Tuesday night, specifically for a possible extra-innings scenario, and Masahiro Tanaka was available in an emergency situation.

“If we don’t have Happ or Masa then it will be…. we haven’t decided,” the Yankee manager said before Tuesday night’s game. “That will be a conversation.”

J.A. Happ struggled in Game 1, but he’s available out of the bullpen Tuesday night. (Tim Bradbury / Getty Images)

Boone was quick to say that if Happ pitched Tuesday night Tanaka, who pitched well in Game 2, would start Game 5. Reading between the lines, it seems like the Yankees are leaning toward Tanaka either way.

The veteran right hander was not aware of the planning. Before Tuesday night’s game, he was trying to get comfortable with the possibility of having to come out of the bullpen, something he said he wasn’t very accustomed to.

“I did it in Japan,” Tanaka said through the team interpreter. “I am just focused on being prepared for tonight.”

That is quite a difference from when the Yankees were lining up Happ to possibly get two starts out of him at the beginning of the ALDS, because of his success against the Red Sox. Friday night, Happ didn’t have it, allowing five earned runs on four hits in just two innings.

That was markedly different than his history against the Red Sox.

This season, Happ made four starts against Boston, pitching to a 1.99 ERA, striking out 29 in 22.1 innings pitched against them. In 21 career appearances against Boston, 20 starts, Happ has a 2.98 ERA over 117.1 innings pitched.

Masahiro Tanaka gets warmed up before Game 4. (Julie Jacobson / AP)

In 10 career starts in Fenway Park, where Game 5 would be played, Happ has held the powerful Red Sox lineup to a .228 batting average against. He has a 3.27 lifetime ERA here. This season, Happ made two starts in Boston, holding the best offense in baseball to four earned runs over 9.2 innings pitched, a .231 batting average against and a .713 OPS.

Tanaka allowed one run over five innings in Game 2.

HICKS HEALTHY

Aaron Hicks was back in the starting lineup Tuesday night after missing two straight games of the best-of-five series with a leg issue.

He was leading off as Boone decided to go with Brett Gardner over Andrew McCutchen in left field.

“I felt like it was a pretty good matchup. Just having another lefty in there,” Boone said of having Gardner in the lineup. “Cutch will come into play obviously later. It was close matchup wise offensively against Porcello, obviously Gardy defensively is good. Just wanted to have balance there.”

Boone also cited righty-lefty balance with the decision to start Neil Walker at third base over Miguel Andujar, but it seems more like a smart defensive move. With veteran lefty CC Sabathia on the mound, the Yankees want a solid glove on that side of the infield and Andujar is mistake prone. Also, he’s only 2-for-10 in the first three games of the series.

“We like getting Walk in there, on the day CC pitches,” Boone said. “Yeah it makes sense to have him out there.”

ROUGH NIGHT

After getting roasted for his decisions with Luis Severino and his bullpen in Monday night’s game, Boone wasn’t about to point the finger at another guy who had a rough night. Veteran umpire Angel Hernandez had four of his calls at first base challenged Monday night and three overturned. Hernandez was behind the plate for Game 4, but Boone was willing to turn the page.

“I am not worried about it. It’ll be fine, we just have to be prepared. It’s the same both ways,” Boone said. “I am confident he will go back there and do a good job. CC has been good with him back there, so it’s not something I am worried about.”

In fact in four career starts with Hernandez behind the plate, Sabathia is 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA.